Pumpkin & Wine

Whether you require a companion for delicately flavoured wild pumpkins: In the cellars of the German winemakers, a parade of fantastic wines is ready to give a brilliant performance on your table. And Wines of Germany has a few simple guidelines for you to follow – to avoid even the slightest hints of disharmony creeping into these alliances.

Facts

  • 90 %

    water content

  • 29,14

    calories per 100 gram

  • 200

    pumpkin varieties are suitable for consumption

White wines with pumpkin dishes

The subtle flavours of pumpkins, often reminiscent of nuts or young beets, are mild and suited to a wide variety of dishes: Delicate soups; heartily seasoned, exquisite vegetable side dishes – and even extraordinary roasted salads with lemon peel and balsamic vinegar. Delicately fruity Pinot Blanc and slightly mature Silvaner are the best companions for pumpkin as a main dish. The flavours of these culinary partners complement each other well. As a side dish alongside meat, a heartily seasoned pumpkin, such as the expressive Hokkaido, is an ideal companion for light red wines like Portugieser or fresh Trollinger. They are suitable playmates for the pumpkin’s subtle fruity flavours but also form a delicious alliance with heartier dishes.

When roasted, pumpkins develop pronounced flavours that are slightly reminiscent of edible chestnuts. In this guise, they go very well with expressive red wines such as Dornfelder or Lemberger.

In desserts, pumpkins show off their sweet side. However, there are suitable wine companions for this manifestation as well. Pumpkin pie with caramelized nuts pairs delightfully with a noble-sweet Riesling Beerenauslese. And for another true culinary epiphany this autumn: Try slightly fruity pumpkin pastry with a mild Riesling Auslese.

Pumpkin Varieties

Pumpkin side dishes, prepared with the orange-coloured classic varieties, love to seduce gently. The pumpkin flavours are quite delicate, restrained and easily dominated by the more expressive wine varieties. Consequently, delicate flavours are in high demand. Silvaner, Rivaner and Chasselas from Baden are perfect companions for lightly seasoned pumpkin side dishes. The flavours of the light-yellow butternut also enjoy being drenched in a delicate Pinot Gris with its harmonious nutty-buttery aromas. Pinot Gris also makes for a delightful alliance with white pumpkins and their flavours reminiscent of young beets. Those are also well rounded off by classic Rieslings.

Sweet and sour pumpkin preserves are a popular variation and a real challenge for a wine companion. A semi-dry Riesling or Gewürztraminer is the perfect partner for this potpourri dominated by acidity and sweetness. And even venturing a combination with a mild Riesling Spätlese can be a delectable choice.

Pumpkin desserts offer a wide variety of flavours and are exceptionally flexible. Try slightly fruity pumpkin pastry on an afternoon, with a mild and fruity wine such as Riesling Auslese as the companion of choice. Or tickle your taste buds with the opulence of pumpkin cake prepared with almonds and caramelized nuts, which prefers a wine companion that is its equal in seductive sweetness with spicy aromas. Pair it with a delicate Riesling Beerenauslese and indulge yourself with a true culinary highlight.

Can pumpkin be prepared sweet?

Yes! Whether as a cake, dessert casserole or sweetly preserved and paired with Riesling cream - pumpkin is a real all-rounder even in its sweet version. Sweet and sweet wines, such as Spät- or Auslesen, are recommended for these dishes.

More recipe ideas

with semi-dry wines Flädlesuppe

with semi-dry wines

  • 1 Bund Schnittlauch
  • 1 Liter Fleischbrühe
  • 150 Gramm Weizenmehl
  • 300 ml Milch
  • nach Belieben Speckschwarte zum ausreiben der Pflanne
  • Etwas Salz

Make a smooth, not too thick batter from the flour, milk, eggs and a pinch of salt. Heat a heavy frying pan on a high heat, rub with bacon fat, pour in a small dollop of batter, allow to spread and fry thin pancakes (flädle).

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<p>Leave the pancakes to cool, halve and cut into thin strips.

 

Place in clear, very hot meat stock and serve immediately.

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  • Trollinger (halbtrocken & feinherb)

with herb crust Roast turkey

with herb crust

  • 600 Gramm Putenbrust am Stücke
  • 0,25 Liter Weißwein
  • 0,25 Liter Gemüsebrühe
  • 4 ganze Tomaten
  • 4 Scheiben Toastbrot
  • 2 ganze Eier
  • 2 Stück Zwiebeln
  • 75 Gramm geriebener Emmentaler
  • 1 Stange Porree
  • 1 Bund Schnittlauch
  • 1 EL Olivenöl
  • nach Belieben Salz & Pfeffer

Wash the meat, pat dry and cut a deep pocket lengthways. Crumble the toast. Wash and chop the herbs, peel and dice the onions.

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<p>Preheat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heat). Place the bread, herbs, onions, cheese and eggs in a bowl, mix thoroughly and season. Stuff 2/3 of this mixture into the turkey breast. Pin the opening with wooden skewers and tie up crosswise with kitchen twine. Place the roast in a roasting tin and brush with oil.

 

Roast in the preheated oven for approx. 1 hour. Gradually pour in the white wine and vegetable stock.

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<p>Clean and wash the vegetables. Cut the leek into pieces and add to the roast with the whole tomatoes after 30 minutes.

 

About 20 minutes before the end of the cooking time, spread the remaining third of the herb mixture over the roast and finish cooking.

 

Arrange on plates with the vegetables and serve. Serve with rice.

  • Pinot Gris (trocken)
  • Chardonnay (trocken)

with pear wedges Chicken breast strips

with pear wedges

  • 500 Gramm Hähnchenbrustfilet
  • 2 reife Birnen
  • 200 ml Birnensaft
  • 100 ml Sahne
  • 1 ganze Zwiebel
  • 4 EL Olivenöl
  • nach Belieben Salz & Pfeffer

Cut the chicken breast fillet into strips. Peel the onion and cut into cubes. Heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the meat in it. Add the diced onion and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

 

Wash and peel the pears, remove the skin, cut into wedges and sauté in the pan. Deglaze with the pear juice and allow to reduce slightly.

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<p>Finally, add the cream and season to taste.

  • Müller-Thurgau (halbtrocken & feinherb)
  • Kerner (halbtrocken & feinherb)

with bulgur Cabbage stew

with bulgur

  • 200 Gramm Zwiebeln
  • 1 ganze Knoblauchzehe
  • 800 Gramm Spitzkohl
  • 200 Gramm Möhren
  • 400 Gramm festk. Kartoffeln
  • 1 EL Kümmelsaat
  • 1,5 Liter Gemüsefond
  • 5 EL Olivenöl
  • 2 EL Tomatenmark
  • 2 EL edelsüßes Paprikapulver
  • 3 TL Honig
  • nach Belieben Salz & Pfeffer
  • 120 Gramm grobe Bulgur
  • 1 Bund Petersilie
  • 4 Stiele Minze
  • 1 ganze Zitrone
  • 2 ganze Äpfel
  • 3 EL Obstessig

Finely dice the onions and garlic. Clean, wash and quarter the cabbage, remove the stalk and roughly chop the cabbage quarters. Peel the carrots, halve lengthways and cut into approx. 2 cm wide pieces. Peel the potatoes and cut into approx. 2.5 cm pieces. Fry the carrots in a pan without fat and set aside.

 

Heat the vegetable stock in a small pan. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large pan, sauté the cabbage in it for 10-15 minutes over a high heat until dark brown and remove from the pan.

 

Add the remaining oil to the pan. Fry the onions and garlic until translucent. Add the potatoes and muesli and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the tomato purée and paprika powder and fry while stirring. Add the cabbage, honey and caraway and pour in the hot vegetable stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the bulgur 20 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

 

Quarter the apples, remove the seeds, cut into approx. 1 cm cubes and add 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Pluck the herbs and chop medium-fine. Wash and dry the lemon, finely grate the zest and mix with the herbs. Flavour the stew with vinegar, salt and pepper and serve sprinkled with the herbs.

 

Tip: The pointed cabbage must be roasted really strongly and dark so that the aromas come out well.

  • Spätburgunder / Pinot Noir (trocken)
  • Trollinger (trocken)